Page 22 (1/1)

Two or three other people arrived, and the house became much less dull than was its wont Jack Neville occasionally rode his brother's horses, and the Earl was forced to acknowledge another mistake The ineer was not only a gentleentleman, and Lord Scroope was almost proud of his relatives For the first week the affair between Fred Neville and Miss Mellerby really see,--not prone to outward de man; but she never withdrew herself fro to be attentive Not a as said to hurry the young people, and Lady Scroope's hopes were high Of course no allusion had been made to those horrid Irish people, but it did not seem to Lady Scroope that the heir had left his heart behind him in Co Clare

Fred had told his aunt in one of his letters that he would stay three weeks at Scroope, but she had not supposed that he would limit himself exactly to that period No absolute lier son, but it was taken for granted that they would not remain should Fred depart As to Sophie Mellerby, her visit was elastic She was there for a purpose, and ht remain all the winter if the purpose could be so served For the first fortnight Lady Scroope thought that the affair was progressing well Fred hunted three days a week, and was occasionally away froi a dash up to London; but his manner to Miss Mellerby was very nice, and there could be no doubt but that Sophie liked him When, on a sudden, the heir said a word to his aunt which was al a pistol at her head "I think Master Jack isit all square with Sophie Mellerby"

If there was anything that Lady Scroope hated al She professed that she did not understand it; and in carrying out her profession always stopped the conversation to have any word explained to her which she thought had been used in an i it "all square" with a young wo it "all square" with this young woman was so much htened by the unconcern displayed by the heir in so speaking of the girl ho it "all square" himself, that she could hardly allow herself to be arrested by that stu block "Impossible!" she exclaimed,--"that is if youat all"